Brassiere construction



Cet. 9, 1951 KNO 2,570,819

BRASSIERE CONSTRUCTION.

Filed Nov. 12, 1949 2-SheetsSheet l oct. 9, 1951 1. KNO 2,570,919

BRASSIERE'. CONSTRUCTION Fi1ed Nov. 12. 1949 2 sheets-sheet 2v :NVE/wok.IRV1NG Klv@ Patenfe oct. e, 1595i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BiiAssI-REooNs'rnUcrIo'N y Irving Kivo, Brooklyn, Y; Application Nvember 12,1949-. serial No. 126,764

Thisinventionvrelates to'new and useful improvements in brassires, andhas more particular reference to a straplessl brassire.

Strapless brassires are known which are maintained in place by a bodyencircling belt and i-n which bones or flexible stiffening members areutilized as auxiliary bust pocket forms and supports.` These priorbrassires, however,'have been found unsatisfactory in that the tightnessof the body encircling belt flattened the busts against the body, andwhere honing was utilized to pre- 4 Claims. (C1. v2-42).

l and illustrates the means for connecting saidv vent this, the highlydesired appearance of fullness above theV nippley of the bust could notbe achieved. Further, where medial, vertical honing was utilized, theIboning kwas -pressed tightly against the nipple of the bust irritatingit. Furtherfore, those bones which were straight had a natural tendencyto assume their straight condition lifting the top and bottom edgesofthe bras' sire away from the chest. Thus, the'bust shaped the straightbones of those prior art brassires resulting in a garment which wasuncomfortable to wear and often injurious 'to thebreasts.

One object of the invention is the provision' of, a strapless brassirewhich isnheld in place by a body encircling member and yetwill supportthe breasts in an attractive and upright position, with the desiredappearance of'fullness in their upper portions.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a strapless brassireutilizing vertical, medial bones preformed to provide the desiredappearance of bust fullness and to provide clearance for the nipples ofthe breasts, said bones being removable to allow their being replaced byothers having different, preformedrshapes. Y

Another object of the invention is to construct a brassire as describedwhich is simple` and durable, and which can be manufactured at a.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view of one end of the body encirclingband of the brassire i connecting means associated therewith.

end with the other end. f

Fig. Llis a fragmentary enlarged viewf o'f the other end of said bandand illustrates the end Fig. 5 is a perspective view partly broken awayof a bone utilized in the brassire. Y

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a preformed bon utilized in thebrassire. Y

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line of Fig. 1, the parts being shown innormal position in dot and dashlines and inA the position they assumewhen the brassire is worn in full lines.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 1.-

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 9 9 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view on line Fig. 11 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 1 but of a modi-- Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 2but of the modl ied brassire.

The brassire shown herein-for the purpose of illustrating the inventioncomprises a bust porat I6.

(Figs. 1 and 2), a middle Vbust supporting panel I8, which preferably ismade of double thickness (Fig. 7) and an upper panel 2U. The uppermost 1panel 20 has its lower edge in the form of an inverted V, the lowermostpanel |1 has its upperf edge in the form of a V and the center panel. I8has its upper and lower edges formed to complernent the lower and upperedges respectivelyV of the panels 20 and I1.

At their outer edges,rthe three panels of each' cup I5 are secured to abody encircling member 2|` or 2'2, the upper and lower edges of eachofwhich converge slightly as they extend away from the cup l5. In order toprovide the members 2| and 22 with a certain amount of resiliency eachAhas stitchedto its free end a loop 23 of 4elasticV To each of said,

ribbon (see also Figs. 3 and 4). loops issecured avshort strip of cloth24, the one strip having a plurality of hook eyes 25 attached' theretoA(Fig. 3) and the other'having a hook 26 attached thereto (Fig. 4) saidhook and eyes being utilized to fasten the members 2|V and 22 togetherin ,the usual manner.

The upper edges of the cup panels. 20 are; arched upward from theirproximateends to the .1

3 midpoints of the panels (Figs. 1 and 2) and thence downward to jointhe members 2| and 22. A pair of elastic strips 21 are secured to theupper edge of the brassire, that is to say, the upper edges of thepanels 20 and the members 2| and 22 (Figs. 1, '7 and 8), said strips inturn having a decorative ruffled tape 28. The elastic strips 21 arestretched in donning the brassire and act when the brassire is in placeto pull the upperV edges. of the'cu-ps I5. inwardly and downwardlyagainst the wall of the chest immediately above the breasts.

At the outer edge of each cup I5, right at Y the point of juncturethereof with thev member` 2l or 22, there is provided a substantiallyvertical bone 3 (Figs. l, 2, 5 and 6), said boneextending from the upperedge of the cupfto the lower and being enclosed in a pocket formed bythe joined edges of the cup and the member 20 or 2l and4 av strip oftape 3| (Fig. 9) secured, the one edge to the member and the otheredgeto thecup;y

Medial of each of the cups l there. is provided a,v preformed flexiblebonel 32, said bone iitting in. a pocket formed by the material of thecup and a strip of tape 33 secured thereto (Fig. 10). At, its lower endbone 32 is provided with a vertical portion 3 above which it curvesoutward and upward for the greater part of its length (Figs. 6 and 7).At the end, of said outward and upward curve the bone curves sharplyinward and upward for a short distance. When the bone is` inserted inits pocket, the upper end of the vertical portion 34 thereof is locatedsubstantially in alignment with the upper edge of panel. Il of the cupv(Figs. 2 and 7), the apex of the curve of the bone is locatedsubstantially at the upper edge of panel I8 and the upper end of thebone is located at a point substantially higher than mid-height of thepanel 20. p

When the brassire is in use, thebones 32- are flexed from their normalconfiguration as shown in Fig. 6 and in dot and dash linesl in. Fig,v 7to the configuration shown. in fulllinesy in Fig, 7, which is caused bythe fact thatv the free top ends. of the bones 32, as the brassire isclosed about the body, are calmed to rideY up the topv facesy of thebreasts. Thus, the bones 32 have a tendency to returnv to their normalpositions holding the top and bottom edges of the brassire againstthechest.

y The apex ofthe curve of the bone 32 illustrated in Figs. 6 and 'l isso designed that if used with abreast of the proper contour a clearancespacev will be provided between, the bone retaining tape and the nippleof the breast, the. tape contacting the breast above and below thenipple, In order toV provide for breasts having contours not suited to..the illustrated bone 32, the tape 33 is foreshortened slightly at itslower end or. iS lprovidedv with a window 35 (Fig. 7) through which theillustrated bone can be removed and a bone with the desired congurationinserted.

It is believed evident from the foregoing that the action of thepreformed bones 32 will, as indicated in Fig. 7, support and mold thebreastsin such mannerY that the desired appearance of fullness of theupper parts of the latter is achieved.

In a modification of the invention there may beprovided three preformedflexible-bones 32 for eachA of the cups I (Figs. 11 and- 12), a medialbone as hereinbefore and one spaced on either side thereof. In thisconstruction the remainder of the brassire may be constructed in thesaine manner as described hereinbefore and the bones may differ fromthosedescribedonly in number.

4 Generally, this modified form of the brassire is directed for use withthe heavier, pendulous type breasts with which greater support andfurther molding means are required. However, it has been found thateither the single bone or three bone type function satisfactorily in thegreat majority of instances, the former not being limited to use withsmall breasts nor the latter to large breasts.

The materials utilizedv in the brassire may be any of those normallyused in brassire manufacture.

While the preformed bones are illustrated and described as being used inconnection with what are generally known as strapless brassires, suchshowing is by way of illustration only as the preformed bones can alsobe used in combination with brassieres having straps, without departingfrom the scope and intent of the present invention.

. While I have illustrated, and described. the preferred embodimentsY ofmy invention, it Vto be understood that. I do not. limit myself to, the'precise constructions. hereinV disclosed. and the right is reserved to:all changes and modicatols coming within the scope of the inventiori'asYdefined inthe appended claims.v

Having thus, described my invention, what. I claim asv new, and desireto. secure by United' States Letters Patent. isz.

1. A. straplessY brassire having two breast receiving cups securedtogether at ytheir proximate edges, eachY saidvcup comprisingan upperpanel having an inverted V lower edge, a. lower panel with'a V upperedge. and a center panelof double thickness andv having itsjupperandflower edges formed` to complement, theproximate. edgesA ofi saidupper and lower panels,- a pair. of body encircling members,i onesecured to the. outer edge ofy each of said cupa. apair ofQtape strips,one securedr at. its one edger to, the outer edge of each of said cupsand. atits, other edge tothe associated` body encircling. Vnelber tolform a pair of pockets, a vertical, flexible, stiiening bone in eachsaid pocket, anelastic strip. secured to the top.v edgesl of saidvcupsandbodyencirclingf members, a. vertical taping strip secured toreach said cup medial, thereof to form a second pair of pockets, and apreformed, flexible bone in each of the latter said4 pockets, thelatter? saidbones each` having a verticali portion at. its,` lower end,an outwardly and.v upwardly. curvedl portion sur-Y mounting saidvertiealportion and` extending throughout the: greater part of thelength of the bone, and a sharply vinwardly and upwardly curved portionsurmounting said; outwardly curvedy portion; the.; upper endet thebonebeing located. substantially below the.y upper edge. of the;

cup.

2. A strapless brassire comprising a: bust errcirclingbody having at:the front.` thereof adjacentl breast receiving cups, each: of said cups`comprising an upper panel having an inverted? V lower edge,'alowerpaneli with a V' upper edge and a center panelof double thicknesshaving its upper and lowerv edges formed to complementthe adjacent edgesofthe'upperV and lower panels, a vertical tape strip secured to theinner face of' each of said cups medial thereof Vforming a pocket, andapreformed flexible bone in said pockets, said bones each l-iaving avertical portion` at its lowerv end; anA outwardly and' upwardly curvedportioncontinuingfromV the*V top endl of said vertical portion. and!extending throughout the greaterf pa-rtof thee-length o'ff the bone, anda sharply inwardly and upwardly curved portion continuing from the upperend of said outwardly curved portion with the junction of said outwardlyand inwardly curved portions being located at about the center of eachof said cups.

3. A strapless brassire comprising a bust encircling body having at thefront thereof adjacent breastl receiving cups, each of said cupscomprising an upper panel having an inverted V lower edge, a lower panelwith a V upper edge and a center panel a double thickness having itsupper and lower edges formed to complement the adjacent edges of theupper and lower panels, a Vertical tape strip secured to the inner faceof each of said cups medial thereof forming a pocket, and a preformedflexible bone in each of said pockets, said bones each having a verticalportion at its lower end, an outwardly and upwardly curved portioncontinuing from the top end of said vertical portion and extendingthroughout the greater part of the length of the bone, and a sharplyinwardly and upwardly curved portion continuing from the upper end V ofsaid outwardly curved portion with the junction of said outwardly andinwardly curved p0r-V tions being located at about the center of each ofsaid cups, said inwardly curved portions having their free top endsspaced below the upper edges of said cups.

4. A strapless brassire comprising a bust encircling body having at thefront thereof adjacent breast receiving cups, each of said cupscomprising an upper panel having an inverted V lower edge, a lower panelwith a V upper edge and a center panel of double thickness having its 6upper and lower edges formed to complement the adjacent edges of theupper and lower panels, a vertical tape strip secured to the inner faceof `each of said cups medial thereof forming a bone, and a sharplyinwardly and upwardly curved portion continuing from the upper end ofsaid outwardly curved portion with the junction of said outwardly andinwardly curved portions being located at about the center of each ofsaid cups, vertical tape strips secured to the inner faces of said cupsspaced from and on opposite sides of said first-mentioned tape stripsforming pockets, and a exible stiifening bone in each of saidlatter-mentioned pockets.

IRVING KIVO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the

